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PIA News Service - Wednesday, JUly 6, 2011

Surigao Norte gov to deliver 1st SOPA today

SURIGAO CITY, July 6 (PIA) –- Gov. Sol Matugas will deliver today her first State of the Province Address (SOPA) at the provincial convention center during the 3rd Special Session of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan.

The special session will be presided by Vice Gov. Arturo Carlos Egay, Jr which will promptly start at 3:00pm.

The lady governor is expected to reveal the gains of her HEALS agenda (Health, Education & Environment, Agri & Aquaculture, Livelihood, Spiritual Renewal, Social Services, Senior Citizens Programs) in the previous year and the significant improvement of fiscal management of the province as well as her plans in the years ahead.

Expected to attend are the two solons of the province, local government officials and employees, officials and representatives of line agencies, non-government organizations and other sectoral leaders. (PGO-PIC/FEA/PIA-Surigao del Norte)

BUTUAN CITY, July 6 -- A series of two loud bomb blasts rocked the Butuan City Hall, Brgy. Doongan, this city: the first one occurred at the 3rd floor at 10:40 A.M., while a second one exploded at the basement area just a minute later.

Authorities,however, weren't alarmed as the explosions were part of a controlled scenario of the “Bomb Threat Drill and Fire Suppression,” which was part the kick off activities of the “Disaster Consciousness Month.”

The exercise was initiated by the agencies under the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (RDRRMC). It was in line with the month-long disaster-consciousness celebration which commenced yesterday morning.

The activities set off with a celebration mass held at the St. Ignatius de Loyola Chapel, Camp Rafael C. Rodriguez, Brgy. Libertad this city. This was followed by a motorcade by the council member agencies culminating at the Butuan City Hall.

The bomb threat and fire suppression drill ensued with Butuan City Mayor and City Disaster and Risk Reduction Management Council Chairman Ferdinand M. Amante, Jr. as the incident commander assisted by Engr. Roderick Lerias.

The drill was initiated with a (mock) phone call by an “unknown source” at 10:30 A.M. The call was then reported to the Mayor’s Office, which notified the Civil Security Unit, of which in return implemented immediately the activation of the “Building Emergency Evacuation Plan,” also dubbed as the “OPLAN Kalasag.”

Under the operation plan the safe and orderly evacuation of the chiefs of offices, employees and other city hall personnel and clients to the designated security evacuation centers were facilitated. As the sirens were sounded, the voice of the incident commander blared through the loudspeakers giving orders for the occupants to orderly vacate the offices and premises towards the designated secured areas.

A headcount was then conducted by assigned personnel at their respective security centers.

The security personnel composed of the elite team of the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT), the CSU and the police immediately responded, putting the security measures around the city hall premises in place, which included the establishment of the “police line.”

The team from the Explosive and Ordnance Division (EOD) and the K-9 Team led by PSInsp. Antonio Claros, arrived at the scene and searched the building for the reported bombs. Two of the clandestinely placed (mock) explosives were spotted by the EOD personnel with the aid of the bomb-sniffing dogs at the basement, which they had immediately detonated. But while the EOD personnel were detonating the two explosives, a loud explosion rocked the building’s 3rd floor which was followed by another one at the basement. A thick smoke follows the explosion at the third floor and thereafter a (simulated ) raging fire went up.

Few minutes thereafter, personnel from Butuan City Bureau of Fire Protection responded to the scene to put the fire out. The fire personnel then reported to the incident commander that they already had placed the fire under control. Mayor Amante then, after receiving the report from the fire personnel ordered the medical and rescue team proceed to the incident area to search and rescue the possible victims of the explosions and the fire. There were three (pretended) victims rescued from the third floor area and were immediately brought to the designated health stations manned by the City Health Office personnel. One who was (supposedly) a serious case was transported by the standby ambulance of the Disaster Management and Control Unit and was immediately referred to the nearest hospital. Personnel from the Traffic Management Office cleared the route for the ambulance to pass through unhampered.

At 10:58 SOCO team from the PNP Crime Laboratory 13 arrived to conduct a post-blast and on the scene investigation. Meanwhile, SWAT team and deployed policemen apprehended (pretended) would be looters who were trying to gain entry through the backside access of the city hall premises.

After conducting their investigation the Crime Laboratory SOCO personnel declared the area as cleared and reported it to the incident commander. It was then that the mayor gave the “all clear,” signal and ordered the occupants back to their respective offices at 11:07 A.M.

These are but all a scenario as part of the first activity to highlight the month-long public disaster awareness celebration.

Butuan City Mayor Ferdinand Amante thanked the RDRRMC and all the participants of the successful activity. (PIA-Caraga)

.Surigao del Sur population office bares accomplishment early 2011

by Greg Tataro, Jr.

TANDAG CITY, July 6 (PIA) –- The Provincial Population Office in Surigao del Sur reported its accomplishment for the first half of 2011.

According to Mila Arreza, Provincial population Officer here, this covers programs on adolescent Health & Youth Development, Reproductive Health and Family Planning, Gender and Development, and POPDEV Integration.

Under such programs, her office has shared more information through different seminars, youth camps, and trainings including cooperation with the people in media.

However, Arreza stressed, the most that they have taken advantage of and utilized was the 2011 women’s month celebration in March.

Arreza mentioned, they have conducted more programs and projects during said period. (PIA-Surigao del Sur)